Overview
This is the first in-school placement for Master of Teaching pre-service teachers. In this unit you will be introduced to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to explore and analyse the role of teachers in 21st century society. Through exploring the Professional Standards, you will develop a theoretical and practical application of your ability to plan and teach effectively, manage effectively, assess and record learning and display dispositions of appropriate professional conduct. You will complete a 10 day placement as a 2 week block in a school under the mentorship of a supervising teacher and complete set tasks for this placement as outlined in the Information and Guidelines for the Supervision of Pre-service Teachers booklet. A major emphasis of this unit is on your development of the disposition for ongoing professional learning through reflection on the professional role and responsibilities of teachers and evaluation of models of effective teaching practice. You will monitor your professional learning through critical reflection and by selecting evidence of your practice that demonstrates focus areas of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to begin your professional ePortfolio. The block placement culminates in the completion of a summative report that measures the standard that has been achieved by you through comparing it against the relevant Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage) for this stage of your development at the end of your first in-school placement. You must pass all assessment tasks to pass this unit.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Co-requisites: For CL05 Master of Teaching (Secondary) students: EDSE20017 Learning and Teaching in Junior Secondary and EDSE20018 Junior Secondary Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment For CC45 Master of Teaching (Primary) students: EDCU20036 Literacy Learning and EDCU20037 Numeracy Learning and EDCU20038 Teaching Science
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
Excellent practical examples for the classroom offered during lectures.
Maintain practical examples for the classroom offered during lectures.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
Many students outlined difficulty in providing feedback on this unit given the placements were not completed at the time of this review due to a COVID-19 related delay in the placement.
Ensure students are prepared for the delayed placement.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
Content was insightful and informative. The activities were engaging and offered numerous opportunities to use the content taught. The textbook offered so much insight and incredibly helpful hints.
Maintain current content, activities and textbook.
- Prepare for teaching through effective planning strategies at an introductory level
- Enact teaching through effective teaching practice at an introductory level
- Create safe and supportive learning environments through effective classroom management at an introductory level
- Assess and record learning at an introductory level
- Interpret and apply the key responsibilities of teachers through appropriate professional conduct at an introductory level
- Use the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to monitor professional learning and identify strategies for responding to feedback and self-evaluation to improve practice.
Successful completion of this unit provides opportunities for students to demonstrate the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers focus areas of:
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
2.2 Content selection and organisation
2.5 Literacy and Numeracy strategies
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals
3.5 Use effective classroom communication
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs
4.1 Support student participation
4.2 Manage classroom activities
4.3 Manage challenging behaviour
4.4 Maintain student safety
5.1 Assess student learning
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning
5.4 Interpret student data
6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||||||
| 2 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | ||||||
| 3 - Portfolio - 0% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||||
| 4 - Research | ||||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||||
| 8 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 0% | |||||||||
| 2 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | |||||||||
| 3 - Portfolio - 0% | |||||||||
Textbooks
Teaching and Learning: Building Effective Pedagogies
- Edition: 1st (2014)
- Authors: Howell, J
- Oxford University Press
- South Melbourne South Melbourne , VIC , Australia
- ISBN: 9780195529067
- Binding: Hardcover
Additional Textbook Information
Both paper and eBook copies can be purchased from the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.aprile@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 08 Mar 2021Module/Topic
Expectations and Professional Conduct
Chapter
Chapter 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 15 Mar 2021Module/Topic
The Standards, Professional Growth and Development
Chapter
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3
Begin Date: 22 Mar 2021Module/Topic
Reflection and Observation
Chapter
Embedded readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 29 Mar 2021Module/Topic
What do we Teach - Curriculum Context
Chapter
Chapter 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 05 Apr 2021Module/Topic
Planning for Teaching - Effective Lesson Planning
Chapter
Chapter 12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Non-Teaching Week
Begin Date: 12 Apr 2021Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 19 Apr 2021Module/Topic
Communicating Effectively in the Classroom
Chapter
Chapter 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 26 Apr 2021Module/Topic
Managing the Learning Environment
Chapter
Chapter 11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 03 May 2021Module/Topic
Effective Teaching Strategies
Chapter
Chapter 2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 10 May 2021Module/Topic
Responding to Feedback
Chapter
Embedded readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10
Begin Date: 17 May 2021Module/Topic
Assessing and Recording Learning
Chapter
Chapter 11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11
Begin Date: 24 May 2021Module/Topic
The Portfolio as Evidence of Impact
Chapter
Embedded readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12
Begin Date: 31 May 2021Module/Topic
Block Placement Preparation and Requirements
Chapter
Professional Praxis Handbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Site Induction and orientation (Day to be negotiated with the site coordinator of the placement school)
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 07 Jun 2021Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 1 of the block placement
Exam Week
Begin Date: 14 Jun 2021Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2 of the block placement
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 21 Jun 2021Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Portfolio for Assessment task 3 is due one week after completion of the placement block - 25th June unless an approved variation to placement dates applies.
Please note that personalised student name badges can be ordered and purchased through the CQUniversity bookshop. These badges are important for identification purposes at school sites and should be worn during placements on each assessable day.
1 Written Assessment
Watch the Illustration of Practice entitled “Using and adapting resources” available from the AITSL website which links to Standard 6.1. (The weblink is also available on the Moodle site for this unit under the Assessment Task 1 upload function).
Write a 500-1000 word response that addresses the three discussion questions based on the illustration:
1. Have you consulted the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to identify your professional learning needs?
2. Do you think the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers would assist you to plan, implement and reflect on your teaching?
3. In what ways would the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers assist you to prepare a professional portfolio?
Your response should identify how you could use the standards as the focus for evaluation of teaching practice and reflection on the professional role and responsibilities of teachers and to select appropriate evidence for your Portfolio during Professional Praxis 1.
Some tips for the completion of this task:
- This is a reflective response, please do not just answer the three questions.
- Include an introduction and conclusion with your response.
- Headings are not necessary in your response, but if you set it out the way that is recommended you will include what is needed.
- References to AITSL are needed within your response, other sources can also be included.
A sample structure for this task:
Introduction:
- Include one or two sentences that introduce the reader to what this response focuses on.
- Although traditionally two sentences do not make a paragraph, in this case your scholarly writing will not be penalised.
- Limit this section to approximately 50 words.
For example (please do not copy this)…
The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers have been designed to ensure high quality teaching in Australian schools (AITSL, 2014). This reflective response identifies how the Standards can be used to evaluate teaching practice and reflect on the professional role and responsibilities of teachers.
Body of the response
- Include your responses to the three questions posed at the end of the video (and listed above in this task descriptor).
- However do not just answer the questions one after another.
- Synthesize your answers into a response that flows – approximately 3 paragraphs (400 words).
For example (please do not copy this)
The Professional Standards can be used to evaluate one’s teaching practice in several ways. Firstly they can help me to audit my professional knowledge and practice by using the Standards as a continuum of what I do well and what I need to improve. For example, as a future registered school teacher I …..
Conclusion:
- Conclude your response by summarizing the main points you have made.
- Allow one or two sentences to do this, but try to limit the word count to approximately 50 words in this section.
For example (please do not copy this)
In conclusion, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers…….
Week 3 Friday (26 Mar 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Feedback on this assessment response will be provided in sufficient time to allow for academic support and advice as necessary to inform students' responses to the next assessment task.
- Critical reflection on the role of professional standards in guiding ongoing learning.
- Demonstrated understanding of teaching as professional work.
- Use the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to monitor professional learning and identify strategies for responding to feedback and self-evaluation to improve practice.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
2 Professional Practice Placement
You will complete a 10 day (2 week) continuous block placement in a school under the mentorship of a supervising teacher and complete set tasks for this placement as outlined in the Information and Guidelines for the Supervision and Assessment of Pre-Service Teachers booklet.
The placement will be organised by the relevant WIL Placement Officer within the Professional Experience Office.
During the placement, pre-service teachers are expected to build on their level of engagement in the day-to-day organisation and management of teaching and learning.
There are weekly tutorials conducted during the term. Attendance is required at 80% of the scheduled classes. Failure to attend the sessions live (or through accessing the recordings) may result in you being unable to proceed to the block placement component of this unit.
An up-to-date working portfolio must be maintained throughout the placement to record all planning, teaching, assessment, evaluation and reflection tasks.
Daily critical reflection will be framed by a series of self-devised questions. As part of your critical reflection, you are to examine the nature of ethical practice in diverse educational settings and identify direct links to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage).
At the end of Week 1, you are required to complete the Pre-service Teacher Self-Evaluation and the Literacy and Numeracy Checklist. Students should synthesise any feedback provided to date and the results from the self-evaluation and literacy and numeracy checklist to construct a detailed plan for professional development throughout the remainder of the placement. This plan should be submitted to the supervising teacher for feedback and negotiation of the student’s professional learning experiences for the remainder of the placement.
The placement is completed as scheduled on the approved Professional Praxis Calendar.
Feedback on this assessment task will be provided by the supervising teacher on CQUniversity's electronic report. Final signed copies of the report will be available to students via Sonia Online.
Assessment criteria are outlined in detail in the Professional Praxis 1 Information and Guidelines for the Supervision and Assessment of Pre-Service Teachers booklet.
- Prepare for teaching through effective planning strategies at an introductory level
- Enact teaching through effective teaching practice at an introductory level
- Create safe and supportive learning environments through effective classroom management at an introductory level
- Assess and record learning at an introductory level
- Interpret and apply the key responsibilities of teachers through appropriate professional conduct at an introductory level
- Use the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to monitor professional learning and identify strategies for responding to feedback and self-evaluation to improve practice.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
3 Portfolio
This task marks the start of a Portfolio of evidence constructed across the course of study. The completed portfolio will demonstrate achievement of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage).
This assessment task provides opportunities for students to collect evidence of working towards the focus areas of 6.1, 6.2 and 6.4 of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in authentic professional learning contexts.
The Portfolio is a carefully considered selection of key materials and examples (artefacts) directly related to demonstrating evidence of understanding the practical application of the Standards at Graduate Career Stage.
There are three parts to this task:
Part 1: Evidence and Commentary
You are required to select examples from the planning, teaching and assessment tasks you completed during your placement for the purpose of evaluating your classroom practice and the impact your decisions had on student learning.
Your selected artefacts should include the following:
- A sequence of two lesson plans on the same topic, concept or skill. The sequence of lessons may be for a small group or whole class.
- A sample of students’ work from the lessons you have selected that shows whether the students met the intended learning goals. Samples may include worksheets, tasks completed by the learners or records of learners’ responses to questions you used to check for learning.
- Copies of classroom observations completed by your supervising teacher; at least one of which should be related to the lesson plans you have chosen for analysis.
Write a commentary on your selected artefacts that responds to the following questions. Your commentary should make explicit links to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers that you have engaged with to plan, teach and assess student learning in your chosen lessons and should be no more than 750 words in length.
Use the following questions to guide your commentary.
- What knowledge, understanding and skills were the focus for teaching and learning in your lessons?
- How did you sequence the instructional steps in your lessons to support students’ understanding and demonstration of the intended learning goals?
- What strategies did you use to check for understanding? Did these strategies provide you with enough information to know whether the learning goals had been met?
- What evidence do the work samples show of student learning and achievement?
- How did you use the assessment information from lesson 1 to plan for the follow-up lesson in the sequence?
- What would you change or do differently next time to enhance your teaching practice and improve student learning?
Part 2: Personal Reflection:
As part of your on-going professional development, you are to create a personal reflection statement of no more than 1000 words which outlines:
- Your strengths to date as a pre-service teacher:
b. What contribution did you make to the school during your placement?
- Your professional challenges to date:
a. Consider your use of time management, work-life balance, personal capabilities etc
b. Were there any barriers you perceive will hinder your future performance?
Your reflective statement should make links to the Professional Standards as applicable.
NB: This Personal Reflection may initiate a professional conversation with your University Supervisor for this placement as a mechanism to ensure you are supported in your initial teacher education course.
Part 3: Guiding Self-Reflective Impact Questions
To place a specific focus on how you demonstrate a positive impact on student learning, you must answer a series of Guiding self-reflective impact questions as part of your Portfolio to assist in providing evidence of practice you have enacted on this particular placement. A copy of the Guiding self-reflective impact questions is available on the Moodle site for this unit under the Assessment Task 3 upload function. This section should not exceed 1000 words.
The questions focus explicitly on the tasks completed on this placement and the positive impact you have had on student learning as a result of those practices.
As illustrated in the Guiding self-reflective impact questions table, each Professional Praxis unit has a set of questions for consideration and review as you progress through the program of scheduled placements. The first set of questions (Question 1 - 6) are responded to in Professional Praxis 1.
The assessment task is due one week after completion of the assessable block component of this unit.
Feedback on the final assessment task will be provided following moderation and in accordance with university policy on certification of grades.
- Knowledge and understanding of the Standards as a framework for evaluating teaching practice
- Knowledge and understanding of the relationship between learning goals, teaching and learning and assessment
- Application of assessment information to future planning
- Evaluation of teaching practice and identification of strategies to improve student learning
- Ability to engage in on-going professional renewal
- Personal and academic literacy
- Prepare for teaching through effective planning strategies at an introductory level
- Enact teaching through effective teaching practice at an introductory level
- Create safe and supportive learning environments through effective classroom management at an introductory level
- Assess and record learning at an introductory level
- Interpret and apply the key responsibilities of teachers through appropriate professional conduct at an introductory level
- Use the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to monitor professional learning and identify strategies for responding to feedback and self-evaluation to improve practice.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
